A word from Richard

Hello Hello Hello,

Oh what a day at the track. Melbourne Cup. The race that stops a Nation. Well did you do any work yesterday?

We all did a couple of hours in the morning and then knocked off for the rest of the day to celebrate a great race amongst great friends.

So November is upon us already and aren’t we lucky as we already have our staff/team Christmas luncheon booked in and this year we are all venturing into the CBD on the train and going to enjoy the sensational atmosphere and services at Bar138 thanks to Mathew Clarke for taking our booking.

Well it’s a bit brief after a big celebrative day of races. So please make sure you really hydrate like crazy today to clear all those fuzzy heads.

And remember; If you’re not using a water filter your body is one! Cheers Cheers.

Richard Scholes

Director

West Coast Water Filter Man

Clean water-treatment option to target sporadic outbreaks.

A University of Cincinnati scientist has engineered an environmentally friendly technology to zap outbreak-causing viruses and bacteria from public drinking water.

Environmental and biomedical engineer David Wendell, an associate professor in UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science, developed a protein-based photocatalyst that uses light to generate hydrogen peroxide to eliminate E. coli, Listeria, and potentially protozoa like giardia and cryptosporidium.

If mass produced, he predicts this protein (called StrepMiniSog) could be used to safely "spike" the public water supply in the event of an outbreak.

"We designed this protein to attach to pathogens of interest using antibodies, so that when the attached photocatalyst is exposed to light it generates hydrogen peroxide and kills the pathogen," said Wendell.

Importantly, Wendell points out that this technology neutralizes viruses and bacteria in water without adding troublesome contaminants -- such as antibiotics or disinfection by-products -- to the environment.

"In the environment or engineered water treatment systems there are many bacteria that you want to preserve," he said. "We need a disinfectant that can ignore helpful bacteria while neutralizing pathogens responsible for sporadic outbreaks. It is essentially a seek-and-destroy technology where it will only attach to the organisms of interest. By using a selective approach we can preserve existing microbiomes, which makes them more resistance to opportunistic pathogens."

Water facts

400th anniversary of Dirk Hartog landing.

25 October 1616 The first recorded European landing on Dirk Hartog Island in Shark Bay, Western Australia.

Dirk Hartog was a 17th century Dutch sailor and explorer. Dirk Hartog's expedition was the second European group to land in Australia and the first to leave behind an artifact to record his visit, the Hartog plate.

Early European voyages to the southern oceans were often shrouded in mystery. The uncharted waters surrounding the mysterious southern continent had intrigued the Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch. Some cartographers hypothesised that there had to be a continent large enough to counterbalance the landmass of the northern hemisphere. European map-makers, from at least the 14th century, imaginatively depicted a vast irregularly shaped region across the bottom of the world map, which they labelled Terra Incognita (Unknown Land).

Motivated by desires to expand their empires, find new trading partners and other commercial opportunities, European maritime nations began searching for new sea routes to the East. However, because nations were sometimes at war with each other and keen to gain an economic advantage, they tended to keep secret any information they could obtain about new routes to, and discoveries of, unknown territories.

Starting in the early 17th century, Dutch mariners reported sightings, and mapped parts of, a landmass they variously called Eendrachtsland (Land of the Eendracht), Hollandia Nova (New Holland), and Terre de Diemens (Van Diemen’s Land).

Community support

The Salvation Army's Christmas Appeal

The Bikers Charity Ride are " doing it for the kids" in the annual Perth Teddy bears' big day out; which raises funds for The Salvation Army's Christmas Appeal. Richard loves this yearly ride on his Harley laden with teddy bears. www.salivation.org.au

SIDS and Kids

Anglicare WA

Anglicare WA is a not for profit community services agency. They provide 57 services from 35 locations across the state. The West Coast Water Filter Man is proud to help and sponsor the Anglicare Knit in Day. www.anglicarewa.org.au

Glen Whistler-Carr, Scarborough

A closing thought

CELTIC PROVERB

“A man may live after losing his life, but not after losing his honour”

A person who lies or breaks promises intentionally or misuses others trust, these are things that count as dishonour. When that person passes on, they will not live in this world any more and their stories will not be shared. Their name will not be spoken with love and memory. A person who lives a life of kindness and genuine truth will always be in the hearts of others- even after they pass.